Liverpool manager Arne Slot has pledged to be a good role model as he faces fellow title contenders Arsenal and their own passionate manager, Mikel Arteta.
With behaviour in football under the spotlight ahead of Sunday’s heavyweight clash at the Emirates, Slot admitted that emotion had got the better of him when booked for protesting against Chelsea last weekend. Arteta is regarded as one of the most intense bosses in England and served a touchline ban last season after receiving three yellow cards.
A more serious case saw Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis banned for five matches last week after spitting near officials. Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs has also been charged by the FA for misconduct after confronting officials in the tunnel after losing to Manchester City while Jose Mourinho was red-carded during Fenerbahce against Manchester United on Thursday.
Speaking about his own position, Slot said: ‘If I use my common sense, I would say we are role models. But we are also human beings. We sometimes feel if too many decisions go against you, emotions take the most out of you. ‘We try to be role models. I speak for myself. I try to keep calm but in the Chelsea game, too many important decisions went against my team.’
Slot is adamant the high standard of English refereeing means managers do not need to put pressure on officials.
Arne Slot was booked for his protests during Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Chelsea last weekend
His opponent on Sunday, Mikel Arteta, is regarded as one of the most intense managers in the Premier League
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has been banned for five matches last week after spitting near officials
‘I’ve seen it once or twice in European competitions, managers who were able to influence the referee and then you feel you maybe need to do something against that,’ he added.
‘But here in England I haven’t experienced that at all. The referees were just not being influenced by my emotional act on Sunday and that has also not happened in all the previous games here.’
